The Sound of Healing

In Halton Region, music is part of patient care — creating moments of joy and relief during challenging treatments

During the holiday season, members of the Burlington Welsh Ladies Chorus lifted spirits by singing Christmas carols and holiday classics, using the healing power of song to bring comfort to patients during their hospital stay. 

Outside the holidays, the group has been visiting the palliative care unit once a month since February 2025- offering patients and families a moment of peace and connection through music. 

At Halton hospitals, music therapy isn’t just background noise; it’s a meaningful part of the care experience designed to bring calm, connection, and a sense of normalcy. Whether through familiar melodies or guided musical activities, patients are offered a chance to pause, reflect, and reconnect with themselves during some of their most difficult moments. 

For some, music stirs memories of home or loved ones. For others, it’s a welcome distraction from pain, anxiety, or the clinical setting. What all these moments share is a sense of human connection- even within the walls of a hospital room. 

“I think there’s something very calming about music,” says Sandy Garraway, Director of the Cancer, Pathology, and Lab Program. “If it’s a particularly peaceful kind of song, it can really lower people’s blood pressure. Sometimes they’ll just sit and breathe- especially if they’re here during a really stressful time.”

As music therapy continues to grow across the Halton Region, it reflects a broader shift toward care that supports the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. 

This meaningful work was recently featured on Global News, watch the full story: